Life is Sunscreen- it’s all a metaphor.

What do 23 Aussies, 2 Americans, 1 Canadian and 1 Ireland..ian have in common? Sunscreen, bug spray and one month in Bali. Oh and of course copious amounts of Bintang! We have been chosen by the powers that be, to live together as global hobos in a beautiful big brother style villa.  It’s been 4 days and we’ve established Catherine will answer to Caitlyn and Caitlyn will answer to Kristen and I might be the only person who says “new-tella” rather than “nut-ella”. The name game is getting stronger though! I’ve never experienced so many people pronouncing AND spelling my name correctly in such a short period of time. I think we’ve really got something good here. Ashley is the only boy in the group and he proved his alpha maletivity last night on the “D floor”. Tomorrow night is our house warming party.. To be themed or not to be themed? If anyone has any Bali budget friendly theme suggestions I’m accepting submissions until 12 tonight!

Apart from swimming nude and on call massages, rest assured we are actually here to get work done. Global Hobo Goddess Gemma curates this majestic experience for interns to live in Bali for one month, studying Bahasa Indonesian and writing articles for Global Hobo. By the end of the month we will have put together 2 guide books with 75 travel reviews made from our blood, sweat and tears. We’ve already put in 2 out of the 3. That is minor scrapes and bruises from scooter accidents on the third day. I did a 2 hour walk into town but even 5 minutes out of the a/c and your feeling like a carny prize bagged gold fish. I’m sure of course we will be very teary towards the last days.

Today I was feeling confident with my Indonesian; I got some dinner from a local food stall and introduced myself to the couple running the place.

*clears throat*

Salamat Sore, nama saya Raisha.

Appa kamu nama?

Appa Kapal?

Juga biak

Saya dari Kanada . Dan saya sekerja di Australia. Sekerja saya di Bali, jalan jalan dan menulis. Saya belenja di sekolah Cinta Bahasa. Dan saya tingal di Surya Abadi 2.

Not 100% with my spelling but I said:

Good day, my name’s Raisha

What’s your name? How are you?

I’m also good.

I’m from Canada. And I work in Australia. Now I’m in Bali, traveling and writing. I study at school Cinta Bahasa. And I live at Surya Abadi 2.

This was such a proud moment for me and I was just so happy and the couple seemed so happy for me than she brought my rice and chicken soup and just sat beside me kind of watching me eat and it was like a weirdly comfortable moment. Then she said something to me obviously noticing the confused expression on my face, turned back to her friends and they laughed for like 5 minutes. So by the end of my soup I’d say we were all basically best friends.

Sampejumba! Terimakasi!

Goodbye ! Thank you!

So yeah just your regular 9-5 office days. Puttin in work. You know, pencil skirts, tryingly quirky ties, staying ergonomically positioned in our chairs and talking about the annoying printer that’s been jammed for like 9 centuries. Just shy of one business week down and I am very very excited for what the rest of this month has hidden behind the staples on the store room shelf.

Also expecting our Bahasa Indonesian guru to get increasingly uneased by our very basic sexually suggestive sentences!

Peace love and Bali babes <3

Brothers From Another Mother

Today I went to the city with Nicolas, for probably the very last time. It was so very nostalgic. And donut time was closed so it really hit me in the heart at that point.  I've been in Sydney for 7 months! This has been my life. Pinch me! Literally In Flabbergasted Enthusiasm.
I'll just leave that there *cough COUGH*

Nicolas usually talks about his "fun facts" or video games but today was rather "emotive". We started off at the Glebe Markets, I took Nicolas’s samosa virginity. It was actually the cutest thing he loved it so much he wanted to thank the server!!  Than we walked down Broadway, I pointed out all the places I almost died when I first bought my skateboard.

*fist pump+deuces* to Ruby! 

We ate stale éclairs , drank iced coffee and browsed around Market City.  Our conversation flowed from hand bags to anime to our time living together to metaphors of the ninth dimension. I almost cried. A.k.a I started to cry than said okay lets go shop around.  Where of course we stopped for free samples..

MY BROTHERS FROM ANOTHER MOTHER. If there ever was a time to use this and mean it ..it's now.  I'm thinking back on this month and there's so much to say! And I want to write poetry. And I want to record the story in an interpretive dance memoir. I want to say so much but uhh I know my Dad's reading this..... I'M KIDDING. <3 :)
(ps. I'm bringing "emoticons" back to the internet)

It’s been radical!! I wrote a poem yesterday but after talking with Nicolas today it was just very deep and honest so I revised the poem to be just as candid. Thaan I hesitated but I think it's sounding quite nice now sooo.. da dun da daaaa *drum roll*

Ps. I hope this isn’t too sappy or embarrassing guys <3

"Brothers From Another Mother"

We may all vary, in age, height and nationality.
But we shared this humble abode, with great charity.
Memories made over good food and cold drinks
Personal space...a foreign concept,
On couches and bathroom sinks.
Today Nicolas said he heard us in the shower...
I was embarrassed
Yet lightened by the memory of the hour    *clears throat poetically*
The music and magic,
Entertaining and always electric,
Honestly and proudly,
drunkly and loudly.
Christmas with a new tradition!
Said goodbye to 2016 and hello 2017!
With satisfaction.
The brotherhood ft one real sister.
T+ one month.(does anyone ever plus the T??)
Now each onto our next adventure
Sending love to you through the stars and the sun
With hope they will connected us again .


So Alex just walked into the kitchen and said "you have to come see the moon!!" and I jumped up and he grabbed his camera and tripod and the moon is just sitting there looking like it knows how to break hearts. It's orange and sensual and grace full and the whole moment is a perfect post parting portrait.

Goodnight and Good morning. I hope your day is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

<3 :) :3 xD


ps. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emoticons

"You Always Fall in Love When It's Time to Leave"

One week from today I will be boarding a plane to Bali!!! This month went by so fast. And now it is two thousand and seventeen!! Twenty seventeen. 2k17. The seventeenth chapter of man kinds 2000^th rotation around the hot burning mother solstice by which we keep our lives and time in accordance with. Wow.

Honestly 2016 was the best year of my life so far. Travelling to Australia has felt like my bat mitzvah.  I partied, learned, worked hard, travelled, fell in love. I have sprouted from the ground up, bloomed, blossomed and I could even say pollinated. Little pieces of myself shared around the world through the amazing wonderful beautiful people I have met.

Me and the boys I live with have became close too. I’m gonna miss our little weird fam. I finally met Matt at the bus stop so that was nice. I’ve been shopping with Nicholas. He’s the perfect shopanion (I tried to make a word there) Alex is just full of wisdom and cuteness. He helped me pick out the right pants for my outfit! Henrik is my fashion and dance muse. Tim mmhhmmm if it’s not too weird I’ll ask him to read some poetry so I can record it, set it as my alarm or something. Actually that is weird but when the boy talks it just sounds so nice! And Fynn is so fucking beautiful inside and out. Truly.

A lovely bunch of boys. Half of them are leaving Thursday than me than Alex than Nicholas too eventually. Ahhhh travel is so good for the heart; meeting people you feel such a strong connection with but also makes the heart ache because you just never see them again. Well maayyybe but probably never again. Such is life I guess. I’ve been saying a lot lately  “don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened!!”

I wouldn’t change a thing really. I can only hope I have left as much of an impression in the souls as they have in mine. My soul is surely a collage, fossilfied (another made up word??) piece of artful human love and life because of everyone I have met here!!

8 months down and 4 to go.

Bali for one month.

Than Tassie for a week. OH YEAH THAT’S A STICKY FINGERS THING. BECAUSE YEAH HIATUS. For those who know my loves.

After Tassie I’ll finish my last 3 months in Melbourne than probably up to Darwin to fly out.

2016 has been soo juicy. I’m expecting 2017 to be...... hmm I was trying to make a metaphoric meal plan type thing but maybe that’s a bit lame and I think 2017 will be very not lame soo BOOM AHH CHICKA CHICKA OHHH...

I’m done. Love you. bye.

Endeavor Drive

Previously in Raisha's world. ..
Proceeding with a perplexing professional position...

13 days deep and 6 to go. My infamous Monday-Friday employment.  I've only cried once and that was just on the second day. I really didn't know what I was getting myself into.  To keep things professional and with respect to my employer, I'm going to use an alias and try to avoid pronouns.  I'll just say Pat. 

 Pat is almost totally impaired from the waist down and has minimal strength in the arms. My job is doing housework , a little shopping, cooking and basically whatever else I'm asked to do. Sounds sweet and simple right.

*Que dark clouds, thunder, lightning and maniacal laughter*

Pat is what I've decided to describe as "Spicy". From the first day I knew Pat would add some flavour to my life. The day we had our interview one of the first things Pat said to me was regarding my nose rings:

" I'm intrigued by those things in your nose, you obviously have more money than sense ."
The second day was a lot more intense. The spicy thing about Pat is the way Pat talks at me. Pat is extremely tidy (I would say obsessive compulsively) because Pat can't leave the bed I have to take pictures of everything I've done too show Pat.  And everything is to be done.. I quote.. "Methodically"

"Open the cupboard under the sink, take out the small dish put it on the table. Take out the container with powder put it on the table. Neatly. Beside the other one. Open the container. Put it down. Take out the soap. Put it on the table. Bring the container and the small dish so I can show you exactly how much you need to fill it."

This manner is the way I am instructed for everything. Absolutely every detail.

"Quick. quickly"
" BE CAREFULL"
"Like a lady come on"
"Use some f***g initiative"
"Do you understand stop? Is English your first language?"

By the end of the day we are both exhausted. In what I've come to know as the cool down period (the last 5-10 minutes before I leave for the day) Pat and I are talking about politics, my roommates, baking and dogs! After the first day Pat said

"I bet you're not going to come tomorrow are you? Just don't say yes than not show up"

I gestured a pinky promise and assured Pat that I will continue to come until my incompetence and lack of detail for everything falls even more unbearably below the standards that are so fiercely enforced.

By this time not only would I say we're used to each others ways. (Pat and the throat cutting spice and me... I can admit I'm not always the sharpest tool in the shed..)  but I swear by the precisely stacked rolls of toilet paper. I heard Pat say... in between a story I was telling during the cool down.. Pat said.... I like you.

I try to keep up with Pat but it's almost impossible. Pat keeps telling me "use your initiative" "you have no initiative" "what would initiative say right now?" but whenever I try and think for myself or do something I do everyday anyways or just before she says it, it's wrong. There are a few things I've picked up on that do help me not look like such a nincompoop!

1. "Cupboard" (in the room) = dresser
                         ( in kitchen)= pantry
                        or lastly the hall closet
2. Blue container with blue inside= hand sanitiser with blue label
3. Bench= kitchen counter
4.  Put the blanket straight= slightly angled because Pat's eye view is different than where I stand.
5.  Washing machine door half open= quarter open

So I just keep my tail between my legs and  chase the instructions like a dog playing fetch. Actually this analogy has some weight to a real life. One occasion particularly wherein my tail was not so between my legs and I was barking back at Pat. In this event I was dusting the windows and moved the duster to far over from the part I had just done. Spurs of dust and words of fury filled the air. Pat was telling me to shut up..
"Don't tell me again to shut up like that"
"Just f***g listen. Don't talk."
"If you want to talk to me like a dog, tomorrow I'll wear a muzzle."

We are like cinnamon and brown sugar. Chilli sauce and fried chicken. Nutmeg and egg nog.
Spice and something that falls under it and is made a bit better.

Pat shares recipes with me, I gave Pat a painting of a dog for Christmas, Pat loved it. Pat gave me antiseptic and band aids after I fell off my skateboard. We've established that I'm the first call in an emergency. (last week something important fell and Pat was in distress so I had to come back after work). It's definitely been intense. Maybe I've been a bit untethered from life lately. This could be the universe saying I'm getting soft?!! Anyways I'm not sure yet how to describe the whole experience .

I knew this job was not going to be easy. Honestly after crying the second day I made an oath to myself to stick it out. Pat may be fierce but I'm not afraid or wounded by words that come from Pat  because I understand the situation Pat is in. I'm there to do a job and it is only for a short period of time. Although today I was almost ready to not come back ...than we had an ice cream together.. 6 DAYS LEFT of this paradoxical place.

Btw I hope every ones Christmas was peaceful and delicious. And HAPPY NEW YEARS.
love and life and liberation for you all!!!

Poetic Interlude

In the last month or so that I had spent in Sydney, I found myself caught in this poetic, comedic milky way made up of short complimentary narratives that passed through my mind with every stranger. I kept them in notes in my phone and would just scribble the thoughts down during the day, than read them at the end if the day. There all really weird and random but recently I read them again thinking daaannnng these are clever! I should share these words with my world! Also I feel I want to be more consistant with my blog! Alas I give to you one of the first from this "series"  called ......

Me:

No furniture just art on the walls

I can tell I've been in the city too long because i walk fast even when i have nowhere to go and j cross at the most inappropriate times

Its like you look up and you see forever

Idiosyncratic 

Id rather be dancing

If it is than it is

I have my charger, wallet and underwear. thats important. Ok

Its funny how shes still beautifull

New Faces and New Places

Hello, It’s me..

I’m just updating you on this past week.

I hope, that you’re well

and preferably in a sitting position

 I do have so much to tell...

So it’s been one week (you can stop reading with the Hello melody btw) in my new place, new flatmates, new job... and things are good! Work is another story actually but all in all the fact I have a job is the good part.

I’m living in Mona Vale, which is a little beach community one hour via bus from the Sydney CBD.  My flat is a five minute walk from a beautiful beach!! Initially I had wanted to stay in the city but the price was right and I think after the road trip my mind was still loose so getting back to the real world in a more tranquil environment was the best move!

My flatmates are six boys. Four from Germany, one from France and one from Malaysia! Don’t tell my Mother. Just kidding she’s probably reading this anyways. If that is the case MOM IT’S FINE. We all get along indubitably! Everything is just peachy keen. In fact we’re planning our Christmas together. We’re making a tree from their empty beer cans and Germans celebrate on the 24^th, me on the 25^th thusly we shall make feast and festivities for two days! Huzzah!  (ever since Bundaberg I love saying Huzzah!)

I should briefly introduce you to my brethren:

Alex- Germany, very much loves Australia and photography.

Nicholas- France, Artist, Video Game addict and innuendos I never catch onto.

Matt- Malaysia, I’ve maybe talked to him three times (he works nights) , but he seems nice!

Fynn-Germany, Artist, Energetic and improving his English.

Henrik-  Germany, stylish, doesn’t need music to dance!

Tim- Germany, eldest of the three amigos, not sure what else to say actually ...hmm..

We’ve got this quirky family dynamic going. Last night we made pizza’s and a toast to our one week of coexistence! The beginning of the week the boys went swimming at night, I thought they were totally mad because it was cold. But Mother Nature being the beautiful mother figure she is, the water is slightly warmer than the air and it’s the most refreshing thing to do at the end of your day! We watch movies,  play ball, well they actually play and I just get a pass so I don’t feel left out. They even ate and enjoyed my oatmeal cookies despite the burnt tops.  Oh and I was making jewelry and they all wanted a bracelet so I made some!

MAN IF THIS ISN'T FAMILY I DON'T THINK I KNOW WHAT IS.

Also the remaining Salty Skinned Honey, Tadhg, left Australia, back home to England on Thursday Morning.  *Fist to chest pump and deuces* So much love to you brother.  See you in Canada!!

Now my job situation as I mentioned is a story in itself. To establish for you a bit of a plot-

Scene one : Raisha searches Gumtree for job. Next day gets a call for an interview whilst shopping, catches next bus to the place.

Scene two:  The place is sort of gated community for elderly people; Raisha follows the directions of her director and arrives to the destination.  The two meet. An interview is executed and a job is accepted .

Scene three: Upon leaving the neighbourhood and returning home Raisha ponders the business matter, the character of her new employer, from phone call to first contact. She has an inclination that this new position will be as, if not more so, particular and peculiar as this first encounter.

To be continued...

It's Not Over Till It's Over

So it's been almost a week since the end of our road trip. The salty Skinned Honey's are but a memory. Gloria is probably testing the patience of yet another set of travelers.

It's as if the road trip were a round-a-bout , bringing our paths into harmonious junction until we reach our exits than go individually down the road to the next destination. I actually started writing this 3 days before the end of the roadie. Time and electric outlets were sort of out of hand during those days from Airlie to Sydney. Friday getting back to Sydney till now (Wednesday) I'll say was a combination of being too emotional, hung-over, homeless and really enjoying the last bit of salty skinned company.

Anyways to pick up and finished from where I had started....

Tuesday morning we went for our last snorkel aboard the mandrake, the beautiful aquatic vessel which had kindly took us in as guests the past 3 days.  Airlie beach has been our last stop on the road trip and conducive with any great story, the best was saved for last.

So I've introduced the O.G 4: Sam, Kate ,Tadhg and I. Now for our way back to Sydney we have knighted two more salty skinned honeys into the tribe.

Anton- beautiful blonde boy

Lars cool, calm ,collected.

Both from Germany ! huzzah!

We met Lars on Fraser Island his travel plans were similar to ours and we met up again in Airlie beach. From Airlie we had our Whitsundays 3 day 2 night sailing trip. That's when we met Anton!

One of the most beautiful things about being a nomad is the people you meet! Being acquainted with people from across the world who feel like neighbors you've know your whole life.

Comparable to "the immaculate conception" if I do say so myself. Travelers free from permanent residences and 9-5 jobs , weary and full of goon. Some follow stars, search for wise man, speak in tongues, barter for food and carrying baskets with offerings and tools. They come together often in a place to rest, with standards as low as their budgets. It is in these most humbling circumstances the birth is witnessed and the stories are shared for generations.

I'm looking back at all the photo's and I'm not sure If it's just me but I swear we look different. It's weird to see changes from just one month. It could be the decrease in showers per week. Heat stroke or the bad nights sleep. Possibly even the stress of being a passenger while Tadhgs driving. IM KIDDING. I WAS JUST AS BAD.

Now I'm sitting here in the library trying to manifest the moments into words. Trying to remember the sounds and the feeling of being in Gloria for like 10 hours a day. All the little moments that at the time I didn't even perceive as something I'd think of as leaving impressions at all. It was just life, what we were doing, where we were, how we smelt. It just became such a norm. Singing and dancing at any given space or moment. Not wearing shoes. Checking for cockroaches on the toilet paper rolls. Sam's snoring, Tadhg's farting, Kate driving Gloria to the limits. Anton’s charming magic tricks and Lars as our DJ.

I'm even at a loss of words for a good metaphor for this. Now that's a big deal. Basically the road trip brought 6 beautiful people together in time and space. Through love and loathe. Till death of our contract with the rental van did us part.

It's a month I will never never forget with people I will love forever.

Check out some of the pictures taken, may they rekindle the authenticity of the moments we shared together. Amen.

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